The effect of age and sex on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Horro lambs
2003
Gemeda Duguma(Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia)) | Takele Kumsa(Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia)) | Ulfina Galmessa(Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia)) | Solomon Abegaz(Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia))
Forty-five intact, castrates and ewe lambs of Horro sheep (15 of each 'sex') were used to investigate the effect of age and sex on growth performance and carcass characteristics. At 6-, 9-, 12- and 15- month of age 3 lambs from each sex were slaughtered for carcass measurements. Body weight of the lambs were not significantly (p0.05) different between 'sexes' at 6-, 9- and 12- months of age, but differed significantly (p0.05) at 15-month of age. Sex had no significant effect (p0.05) on most of the carcass traits measured, except for dressing percentage at 6-month of age, head weight and fore quarter at 9- and 12-month of age and kidney fat at 9-month of age, which were significant at p0.05. The results of this study revealed that ewe lambs, for the purpose of meat production, were as good as those of intact or castrated lambs until 12-month of age, after which they tended to be inferior to both groups. In general, it has been revealed that the effect of sex on body weight gain and carcass characteristics of lambs increased with an increase in age.
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